Gaze shifts, the directing of the eyes to an approaching predator, preferred food source, or potential mate, have universal biological significance for the survival of a species. Our knowledge of gaze behavior is based primarily on visually triggered responses, whereas head orientation triggered by auditory stimuli remains poorly characterized. Common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a diurnal, small-bodied (∼350 g), New World monkey species, known for its rich behavioral repertoires during social interactions. We used a lightweight head tracking system to measure marmosets' reflexive head orientations toward a natural stimulus presented from behind. We found that marmoset could rotate its head at angular velocities above 1,000°/s and maintained target accuracy for a wide range of rotation amplitudes (up to 250°). This unusual, saccadic head orienting behavior offers opportunities for understanding the many biological factors that have shaped the evolution of sensorimotor controls of gaze orientation by the primate brain.

目光转向，将眼睛对准一个接近的掠食者，首选的食物来源或潜在的伴侣，对物种的生存具有普遍的生物学意义。我们对凝视行为的了解主要基于视觉触发的响应，而听觉刺激触发的头部定向仍然缺乏很好的特征。普通mar（Callithrix jacchus）是一种昼夜的小体型（〜350 g）新世界猴种，以在社交互动中丰富的行为方式而闻名。我们使用了轻量级的头部跟踪系统来测量小猴对自后而来的自然刺激的反射性头部朝向。我们发现mar猴可以以高于1000°/ s的角速度旋转其头部，并在较大的旋转幅度范围内（高达250°）保持目标精度。这种不寻常的，头晕的头部定向行为为了解许多生物因素提供了机会，这些生物学因素已塑造了灵长类动物大脑凝视定向的感觉运动控制。